Questions about starting to freedive in Plymouth (UK.)

[PlymouthDamo]

Hi, I've just started hatching a plan to start doing some fairly non-challenging freediving in Plymouth. I intend to set off from the shore on an inflatable kayak, and paddle to a site which is 500m offshore, and around 10m deep. There, I'll do a load of shortish dives. No spearfishing - I just plan to take photographs and maybe a few scallops.

My freediving experience is limited to a few dives down to 10m in Cuba last year. However, I'm a very experienced scuba diver, and I've dived this site several times. I've also done a lot of kayaking - although I'll be buying an inflatable specially for this purpose, as my regular kayak is enclosed so not suitable.

I'll be wearing a 5mm surfing wetsuit, with some longish scuba fins, scuba mask and snorkel, plus 4kg of weight. I'll be anchoring the kayak, swimming down the anchor line and then using the kayak as an SMB.

The reason I'm posting here is that I don't know anyone else who's done freediving, let along from a kayak, so I wanted to get people's opinion on this. Does it sound like a sensible way of doing it? What about my equipment - is there anything I should be changing? I'll be trying to persuade a friend to come out on another kayak and keep an eye on me - but if I can't, would I be mad to try and do this on my own?

I'm particularly interested in hearing from anyone who knows the area - Plymouth Sound.

 

[flying_spanner]

freediving from a kayak is a very effective way getting to the dive site. And also the Kayak acts as a great float that is easily seen by boaties.

But my concern with your question is the idea of paddling out and diving alone.

I know a guy who is looking at doing similar things. He plans to buy a sit on kayak so that way he'll be totally independant of the rest of us who all have our own boats.

He's the kind of guy that can't be told, so as a result will probably end up diving alone as not that many people can put up with him.

I'm not looking forward to one day getting the phone call that a search party is going looking for him.

Cos lets be honest the odds are stacked up against him should something happen.

 

[PlymouthDamo]

Thanks for the reply Spanner.

Point taken - going alone is not a good idea. The only things I have in my favour are that I've got a personal locator beacon in a pressure canister, and the dive site is well inside Plymouth Sound which is a natural enclosed bay with lots of boat traffic and scrutiny by the harbour master.

However, I guess that wont be a lot of use if I blackout or get a speedboat prop in my head.

I'll try and persuade some friends to come and cover for me, but it's not really an attractive proposition as they'll have to use my white-water kayak which has a spray-deck, which tends to scare non-yakkers. If I don't get any joy from them, I'll ask for a buddy on the forums - I haven't done that so far, as the only active local forums on here seem to be the spearfishing ones, and this kind of diving might not be that attractive to a spearo!

 

[alun2504]

damo hi i live in plympton and have just got a new suit etc, i wanna snorkel to get some excercise maybe we can get together, work a buddy system out, alun 346440

 

[PlymouthDamo]

Excellent - I'll give you a call tomorrow evening if that's okay Alun - I'm just racing out the door to my BSAC club night.

 

[apneaboy]

I think Dave Morgan is from there, an experienced diver and instructor, he is hardest Dave on the Salt Free threads i'll find his details here on DB and maybe he could teach you and maybe he is diving down there.

EDIT: DeeperBlue Forums - View Profile: hardest dave

Give him a PM, he can give you the advice you need and maybe some training partners, always dive safely with a qualified, competent buddy, anything else isn't worth the risk.

Enjoy

 

[PlymouthDamo]

Nice one - thanks for the tip apneaboy.

I've now got a few leads, so I should have someone who knows what they're doing to show me the ropes. Hopefully, this may mean my first dive doesn't get me on the front cover of the local paper for all the wrong reasons!